Director, Program Management

WPP Media; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Retirement plans

Vision & dental insurance

Paid time off

Partner discounts

Mental health days

Job summary

WPP Media Limited in New York City seeks a Director, Program Manager to lead complex media engagement, data strategy, client analytics, and technology initiatives. You’ll align cross-functional teams, clients, and third parties around clear plans, with proactive risk management and on-time delivery.

You will apply WPP Media PMO processes to guide teams through Plan, Track, Manage, Collaborate, Report, and Optimize. This role is based in NYC and works across global markets.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years in project or program management in media, advertising, or tech.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams across regions and vendors.
• Strong governance, escalation, and risk-management capabilities.
• Proven ability to plan, track, and deliver complex programs on time and budget.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex media engagement and data strategy programs across accounts.
• Align cross-functional teams, clients, and third parties with clear plans.
• Proactive risk management and high-quality on-time delivery.
• Apply PMO processes (DPAM, ID5) to guide full lifecycle.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Program management

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Communication

Excel proficiency

Tools

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Trello

JIRA

SharePoint

Box

Microsoft Teams

Slack

Google Workspace

Job description

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by ourpioneeringagentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth.

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by ourpioneeringagentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth.

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

Role Summary & Impact

As Director, Program Manager, you will lead complex media engagement, data strategy, client analytics, and technology initiatives across one or several accounts and special projects. You will align cross-functional teams, clients, and third parties around clear plans, accountable execution, proactive risk management, and high-quality delivery on time and within budget.

You will apply WPP Media and PMO service-delivery processes, including DPAM for campaigns and ID5 for non-campaign work, to guide teams through the full delivery lifecycle: Plan, Track, Manage, Collaborate, Report, and Optimize. This role is based in our New York City office and works across global divisions and markets.

Skills and Experience

• Serve as the primary cross-functional program management lead across global Colgate-Palmolive Media Engagement delivery, divisions, and markets.
• Establish and enhance process maps, RACIs, workflow documentation, governance standards, and escalation paths that enable efficient and effective program delivery.
• Conduct detailed project planning for phases, stages, tasks, milestones, deliverables, dependencies, parallel workstreams, and critical paths.
• Manage progress and risk by maintaining clear, current information about past, present, and future activities and deliverables, and ensure stakeholders take appropriate action.
• Resolve and accelerate cross-divisional risks and blockers that affect delivery across internal teams, third parties, and clients.
• Facilitate collaboration through appropriate channels, working modes, collaboration tools, document-storage structures, RACIs, and file-naming conventions.
• Use available data to track project development velocity, delivery progress, risk, and overall program or campaign health.
• Report, forecast, analyze, and recommend action through status reports, quarterly business reviews, retrospectives, and post-mortems tailored to teams, clients, and executives.
• Support resource planning and capacity management, revenue pacing, budget tracking, license management, and the development of statements and scopes of work.
• Apply strong knowledge across process management, scope and change management, budget management, stakeholder and engagement management, and risk management.
• Bring 8 to 10+ years of project or program management experience in a media agency, marketing, advertising or marketing technology, software development, creative agency, or consulting environment. Media agency experience is preferred.
• Demonstrate strong organization, documentation, prioritization, problem solving, workload balancing, communication, and escalation skills in fast-moving, structured and unstructured environments.
• Collaborate professionally and authoritatively with diverse stakeholders, bring clarity to ambiguity, and drive measurable progress.
• Plan, organize, and lead effective meetings, workstreams, and large and small cross-functional teams across application development, data, reporting, and analytics.
• Communicate effectively through verbal updates, email, long-form documents, presentations, and collaboration platforms.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Media, Data Strategy, Client Analytics, first-party data enablement, audience prioritization and segmentation, sources of growth, campaign performance, and request management.
• Work effectively with enterprise data applications and platforms such as clean rooms, customer data platforms, data warehouses, Google Cloud Platform, audience platforms, measurement data lakes, data sourcing, and data integration.
• Understand media and analytics technologies and systems such as Prisma, AdForm, Sizmek, Google Campaign Manager, Innovid, Facebook Business Manager, Twitter Analytics, MOAT, Google Analytics, and Omniture.
• Bring experience or strong interest in domestic and global consumer packaged goods and in media and agency operations across digital and offline channels.
• Use core project and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Trello, JIRA, SharePoint, Box, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace, and AI-enabled productivity tools.
• Manage work across waterfall and agile methodologies and demonstrate advanced Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel.
• Motivate, manage, inspire, and influence others, including overseeing junior project managers with the right balance of direct guidance and increasing autonomy to support career growth.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media and WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events.

Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to protected characteristics.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in an open and supportive environment. That is why we have adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. Please note that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office or country.

Please read our Privacy Notice for more information on how we process the information you provide.

The base salary range for this position must be confirmed before posting. Individual compensation varies based on job‑related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package; visit mybenefits.wpp.com for more details.

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job‑related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, go to https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome for more details.

US Pay Range

$100,000 - $230,000 USD

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